the $600 billion set of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that if unaddressed could send the u.s. back into a recession. now, if we do dive over this cliff, here's what could happen. first it could cost the average household about $3500 in taxes. second the economy, it could lose 800,000 jobs. and, third, for those already out of work, 2.1 million americans would lose unemployment benefits and right now we're 47 days away from the deadline to prevent all of that. joining me from columbia, south carolina, msnbc contributor jimmy williams with more on why it matters. so, jimmy, "usa today" did this great chart that breaks it all down, the spending or these tax and spending changes go into effect, because americans across the board are going to be affected on this from the top 1% to the nation's poorest so how likely is it that this will happen? >> well, i don't think it's likely that it happens because i think both sides have a hell of a lot to lose. the president having just come off a re-election and gaining seats in the house and the senate, i think that he has political capital.